DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS IN HIGH-ALTITUDE FLIGHT

Review of 5 years of a WU-2 squadrons daily records shows 36 cases of decompression sickness entirely confined to reports of bends pain among 11 crewmembers in 958 flights. Generally, 40 minutes were spent in denitrogenation in a partial pressure suit and helmet before achieving cabin altitudes of close to 29,000 feet. The majority of bends occurred within the first 3.5 hours affecting the knee joints in almost two-thirds of the cases with a tendency to recur at the same joint. Only 1 case required descent to lower altitude to afford relief from pain.